About A Sword
by Avadrea
Summary: A random run in reveals the real contention between the inu brothers.


Disclaimer: I don't own InuYahsha or its characters. They belong to their creator Rumiko Takahashi. Enjoy my insanity it isn't worth anything more than that.

A/N: This was a DDN and I kept it in this format because it doesn't flow well any other way.

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**About A Sword**

Breeze

He felt it as the tension slowly filled his body. His hand normally limp closed into a fist, his back became straighter, and a slight furrow appeared between his brows. Slight, almost imperceptible changes were the only things announcing his growing disease.

The scent of peonies and pomegranates washed over him in waves, carried to his sensitive nose by the breeze. It was the sweet and dangerous scent of his worst enemy. Standing slowly, he readied himself for their arrival, tempted to roll his eyes. He could already hear the distant cursing of the one whom he had to claim as brother.

Today had started out so promising.

* * *

Tempest

She was weak, pathetic, and completely helpless even for a human. How she continued to survive was still an utter mystery to the taiyoukai. She had no true combat skill to speak of. And though she possessed an amazing wellspring of power, she had no ability to tap into it.

Even so, she was dangerous. This pathetic, clumsy little human was the most formidable opponent he had ever faced. The mere thought of her caused his stomach to clench as if in hunger. The slightest whiff of her scent and his heart would lurch painfully in his chest. It took only a single glimpse of her and his breathing became labored and ragged. And should she flash him a smile, and damn her she almost always smiled, a tempest of burning emotions would overwhelm him till he felt as if he would howl from the pain and confusion. And yet he could barely speak in her presence.

Worst of all were the dreams, no, the nightmares, they were definitely nightmares. Horrid, tantalizing visions that attacked his brain each night, denying him a single nights rest.

The woman was dangerous. And she was coming his way.

* * *

Cool

Kagome stood behind Inuyasha watching as Sesshoumaru stood, casually bearing the hanyou's heated tirade. The taiyoukai's countenance remained calm and cool, whereas her dog eared friend yelled till he grew red in the face. Even after everything the two had gone through together in their quest to defeat Naraku, the brothers still held almost as much animosity towards each other as they did grudging respect.

Whenever they met, which seemed to be more often than not these days, the two followed a routine unwaveringly. Inuyasha would bellow and rant, Sesshoumaru would calmly interject a few well-timed insults. Inuyasha would bristle and wave his sword around, stomping his feet, before finally huffing and surrendering to having to "put up with the bastard" for a few hours while the rest of the two groups enjoyed each other's company, usually over a meal. At least the encounters they had were a lot more peaceful even if they remained just as loud.

Noticing the inuyoukai's golden eyes fall on her while he lazily tossed another verbal barb at Inuyasha, Kagome offered him a tentative, but friendly, smile.

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Hurricane

Damn her. She had done it again. One moment he was baiting his younger sibling, enjoying how his face was starting to resemble a plum, till he made the mistake of looking in her direction. He hadn't intended to do so, she was beneath his notice after all. And yet he couldn't help but let his eyes wander to her face.

She had been watching the entire exchange quietly, her lips pursed in an expression of exasperation. Yet her eyes held a pleasant mirth, betraying her amusement at their traditional greeting. As if sensing his perusal, her eyes lifted to met his and then she… damn her… she smiled.

One moment he had been in complete control, enjoying a woefully unbalanced sparring of wits, only to be lost in a hurricane of confusion in the span of a single heartbeat.

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Hazy/Misty

Slowly, Kagome's smile slid from her lips as they once again pursed, this time in concern. Something was wrong, Sesshoumaru had broken form his normal ironclad routine.

Listen to Inuyasha yell and curse. Check. Throw in a few nice jabs at Inuyasha's character, birth, intelligence, and skill. Without fail. Ignore everyone else till he grew board of said sibling. Affirmative. Nod or scowl at her in his traditional greeting. Utter Fail.

Instead, he stood there with his head tilted slightly to the side, giving her a confused, quizzical look. His normally intense golden eyes were hazy as he gazed at her, looking half asleep.

"Oi Bastard! You ain't even listening to me! Stop staring at nothing!"

Kagome almost giggled as Sesshoumaru rounded on his screaming brother, his eyes flashing red for a moment. Well, that seemed to break him out of his trance.

Sweltering

Nothing? Sesshoumaru had to suppress a growl at the sudden sweltering fury that blossomed in his chest. So sudden and intense was his rage that he found it hard to breathe. How dare Inuyasha call HER nothing!

She was a pathetic, weak, a useless human. Indeed, she was completely beneath his notice. His mind should never even have to bother with considering her existence. But she was far from nothing.

She was his antagonist, his advisory. She had dared to defy him and live. She was Kagome, and she was his everything.

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Cloudy

It all happened so fast. Kagome was left standing dumbfounded, trapped in Sesshouamru's deadly gaze. Without warning, he shoved Inuyasha aside as if he was nothing more than an annoying gnat. His eyes had locked upon her, the gold misted in red until they became cloudy with rage.

He had stopped inches from her, so close she could feel his breath on her upturned face. His crimson gaze devoured her, measuring and weighing her worth. Every instinct inside her screamed for her to retreat, to escape the oppressive aura of the powerful demon, but she held still her eyes never wavering from his.

"She… is not 'nothing.'"

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Rain

"I never said THAT!" Inuyasha barked as he grabbed Kagome's shoulder, snatching her away from his brother before moving between them. He had not forgotten that Sesshoumaru had tried to kill her on multiple occasions. Even with the tentative peace they had formed, he didn't trust the arrogant jerk not to make good on his past intentions to snuff out her life.

The look in Sesshoumaru's eyes scared him. They were dark and predatory as he ignored his bristling brother to keep his gaze locked on the girl. But it was the sharp painful yearning that tinted those reddened eyes that truly frightened the hanyou.

Never good at expressing his emotions Inuyasha did the one thing he was best at, raining curses down on his brother.

* * *

Humid

A soft sigh escaped the monk's lips as he leaned back against the tree, his arm around the lovely slayer at his side. They had retreated to the shade some time ago, seeking refuge from the humid afternoon heat.

"How much longer do you think this will go on?" Sango whispered from where her head rested on his shoulder.

"Seeing as stubbornness appears to be an inu trait, I expect that this argument might very well last until night falls… again." A small grin played along Miroku's lips. "At least they are finally being honest about what is truly at the heart of their contention."

Sango smiled wistfully as she watched the two males posturing and growling at each other, Kagome standing in their midst looking frustrated and confused. "It was never really about the sword was it?"

"Oh my dear Sango," he turned to her a lecherous grin spreading across his lips. "It's always about… a sword."

_~fin~_

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Thanks to my new beta QuothTheDragon


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